HBO Renews 'VICE' For Two More Seasons

Continuing its trend of renewing shows for not only next year but the following year as well, HBO has picked up "VICE" for two more seasons. The news magazine series is preparing to wrap its second season on Friday, and is now set to run through 2016.

Hosted by VICE magazine CEO Shane Smith, the news show has visited some dangerous locales in its two-year run, including Afghanistan, Iran, and Saudi Arabia in season two. While it can sometimes blur the line between entertainment and journalism -- and gets a little too self-congratulatory from time to time -- "VICE" nonetheless still gets credit for going where many would not, and providing pointed insight into international affairs.

"The success of 'VICE' on HBO proves that people are hungry to be engaged in world events when the storytelling is not packaged into sound bites," said Michael Lombardo, HBO's programming president, in a release. "'VICE’s' smart, honest, in-depth approach to news coverage is a perfect complement to HBO’s programming.”

HBO just launched another news program, "Last Week Tonight with John Oliver," two weeks ago, but its news coverage doesn't end there. "Real Time WIth Bill Maher" (the host of which also serves as an executive producer on "Vice") and "Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel" fill out the network's news division, along with a slew of unscripted sports and entertainment programs.

"We would like to say a big ‘thank you’ to HBO for letting us do what we love for another two seasons, and for providing the best platform in television where the stories we work so hard on can live," said Shane Smith via release. “'VICE' on HBO has transformed our brand. It has forced us to get better, to try harder and now, with two new seasons, we will keep striving to be better still. We promise to report on the underreported, to tell the forgotten stories and to remain committed to uncovering the truth about our planet in peril. Here we come."